Western Illinois enters The Summit League Women’s Basketball Championship as the top seed after claiming the regular season title with a win over South Dakota on the final day of the regular season.
Eight teams will begin tournament play at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., on March 4, which determines The Summit League’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Western Illinois (23-6, 13-3 SL), riding an eight-game win streak, earns the No. 1 seed for sixth time overall and first since 2006. The Fighting Leathernecks, currently ranked No. 24 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll, will meet No. 8 Denver (6-23, 3-13) Saturday, March 4, at Noon CT (Midco Sports Network / ESPN3).
The second quarterfinal pits second-seeded IUPUI (22-7, 12-4) against No. 7 North Dakota State (6-23, 4-12) at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, on Midco Sports Network and ESPN3. The Jaguars are the No. 2 seed for the third time in the last five years.
On Sunday, March 5, quarterfinal action resumes with No. 4 South Dakota (22-7, 11-5), last season’s tournament runner-up, facing No. 5 Omaha (15-14, 8-8) at Noon CT. The Coyotes are ranked No. 3 in this week’s CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll. That is followed by reigning champion and third-seeded South Dakota State (21-7, 12-4), currently ranked No. 7 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll, against No. 6 Oral Roberts (15-14, 7-9) at 2:30 p.m. CT. Both games will air live on Midco Sports Network and ESPN3.
Semifinal action begins on Monday, March 6, with the winner of the No. 1 vs. No. 8 game against the No. 4 vs. No. 5 game winner at Noon CT. That is followed by the winners of the No. 2 vs. No. 7 and No. 3 vs. No. 6 contests at 2:30 p.m. CT. Both semifinal games will be aired on Midco Sports Network and ESPN3.
The championship game is set for 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 7, and will be broadcast live on ESPNU with Clay Matvick and Angel Gray on the call.
